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The Thesis Statement

The most crucial part of the essay is the thesis statement. It answers the topic question and provides the specific opinion that the writer will attempt to establish. Thus, it is critical to have a thesis that clearly states the objective of the essay. Three steps to formulating a thesis statement are as follows.

  1. Start with a topic question.

  2. The writer must form an opinion (answer) related to the topic question and state it clearly.

  3. Finally, the writer must ensure that

    1. The evidence presented in the writing is unbiased and objective.

    2. Both sides of the issue are examined thoroughly, given the scope of the project.

    (McClain and Roth, 1999)

Good thesis statements are short, simple, and clear. The exposition of the topic, presentation of evidence, analysis of the various positions, and so forth can be written later on. The thesis statement should be the core concept, the crux, of the paper. What is the essay about?

The thesis statement should also be limited to a primary theme or idea. Thesis statements are best when presented as a single, declarative sentence, containing no "qualifying words," such as "maybe," "perhaps," "possibly," and so on. (McCain and Roth, 1999) A good technique for the writer to practice is to create several potential thesis statements and select the best, most concise one.

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